aboard the spacecraft consisted of two 960 MHz transmitters, one
at 3 W power output and the other at 50 mW power output, the
high-gain antenna, and an omnidirectional antenna. White paint,
gold and chrome plating, and a silvered plastic sheet encasing
the retrorocket furnished thermal control.
 

The experimental apparatus included: (1) a vidicon television
camera, which employed a scan mechanism that yielded one
complete frame in 10 s; (2) a gamma-ray spectrometer in a 30
cm sphere mounted on a 1.8 m boom; (3) a radar altimeter; and
(4) a seismometer to be rough-landed on the lunar surface. The
seismometer was encased in the lunar capsule along with an
amplifier, a 50-milliwatt transmitter, voltage control, a turnstile
antenna, and 6 silver-cadmium batteries capable of operating
the lunar capsule transmitter for 30 days, all designed to land
on the Moon at 130 to 160 km/hr (80 -100 mph). The instrument
package floated in a layer of freon within the balsawood sphere.
The radar altimeter would be used for reflectivity studies, but
was also designed to initiate capsule separation and ignite the
retro-rocket. 


The mission was designed to boosted towards the Moon by
an Atlas/Agena, undergo one mid-course correction, and
impact the lunar surface. At the appropriate altitude the
capsule was to separate and the retrorockets ignite to cushion
the landing. Due to an unknown malfunction after injection into
lunar trajectory from Earth parking orbit, the spacecraft failed
to receive power. The batteries ran down after 8 hours, 44
minutes, rendering the spacecraft inoperable. Ranger 5
missed the Moon by 725 km. It is now in a heliocentric orbit.
Gamma-ray data were collected for 4 hours prior to the loss
of power.